Before I encountered open source there was so much I couldn’t grasp about computers, networks, and the Internet. Because I couldn’t really see them. Their power and their limitations were only dimly outlined while the core of what they are was closed. Learning how a computer works by seeing the progress of its processes on a machine running linux helped Elran find the hidden options for different kinds of reboots on a Windows machine. This is one example of the kinds of tactical knowledge concealed behind proprietary screens. Ways to make our software more suited to our hardware, to make our hardware run faster and last longer are buried in there, obscured by a desire to make things easier on the uniformed user, and to have us spend more money and resources on the newest thing.